I=RICE 15 OENTS 










THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 




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Successful Rural Plays 

A Strong List From Which to Select Your 
Next Play 

FARM FOLKS. A Rural Play in Four Acts, by Arthur 
LEWIS Tubes. For five male and six female characters. Time 
of playing, two hours and a half. One simple exterior, two 
easy interior scenes. Costumes, modern. Flora Goodwin, a 
farmer's daughter, is engaged to Philip Burleigh, a young New 
Yorker. Philip's mother wants him to marry a society woman, 
and by falsehoods makes Flora believe Philip does not love her. 
Dave Weston, who wants Flora himself, helps the deception by 
intercepting a letter from Philip to Flora. She agrees to marry 
Dave, but on the eve of their marriage Dave confesses, Philip 
learns the truth, and he and Flora are reunited. It is a simple 
plot, but full of speeches and situations that sway an audience 
alternately to tears and to laughter. Price, 25 cents. 

HOME TIES. A Rural Play in Four Acts, by Arthur 
Lewis Tubes. Characters, four male, five female. Plays two 
hours and a half. Scene, a simple interior — same for all four 
acts. Costumes, modern. One of the strongest plays Mr. Tubbs 
has written. Martin Winn's wife left him when his daughter 
Ruth was a baby. Harold Vincent, the nephew and adopted son 
of the man who has wronged Martin, makes love to Ruth Winn.^ 
She is also loved by Len Everett, a prosperous young farmer.' 
When Martin discovers who Harold is, he orders him to leave 
Ruth. Harold, who does not love sincerely, yields. Ruth dis- 
covers she loves Len, but thinks she has lost him also. Then 
he comes back, and Ruth finds her happiness. Price 25 cents. 

THE OLD -N-EW HAMPSHIRE HOME. A New 

England Drama in Three Acts, by Frank Dumont. For seven 
males and four females. Time, two hours and a half. Costumes, 
modern. .A play with a strong heart interest and pathos, yet rich 
in humor. Easy to act and very effective. A rural drama of 
the "Old Homstead" and "Way Down East" type. Two ex- 
terior scenes, one interior, all easy to set. Full of strong sit- 
uations and delightfully humorous passages. The kind of a play 
everybody understands and likes. Price, 25 cents. 

THE OLD DAIRY HOMESTEAD. A Rural Comedy 
in Three Acts, by Frank Dumont. For five males and four 
fernales. Time, two hour-s. Rural costumes. Scenes rural ex- 
terior and interior. An adventurer obtains a large sum of money 
from a farm house through the intimidation of the farmer's 
niece, whose husband he claims to be. Her escapes from the 
wiles of the villain and his female accomplice are both starting 
and novel. Price, 15 cents. 

A WHITE MOUNTAIN EOY. A Strong Melodrama in 
Five Acts, by Charles Townsend. For seven males and four 
females, and three supers. Time, two hours and twenty minutes. 
One exterior, three interiors. Costumes easy. The hero, a 
country lad, twice saves the life of a banker's daughter, which 
results in their betrothal. A scoundrelly clerk has the banker 
in his power, but the White Mountain boy finds a way to check- 
mate his schemes, saves the banker, and wins the girl. Price 
15 cents. 

THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 

PHILADELPHIA 



Sales and a Solitaire 



A Shop-Girl Monologue 



By 

GERTRUDE WELTON 




PHILADELPHIA 

THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 

191 8 



^' ^^^'' 



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Copyright 1918 by The Penn Publishing Company 



'M W 1919 

Sales and a Solitaire 

TMP92-007508 



Sales and a Solitaire 



i 

CHARACTER | 

I 

A Shop-Girl - behind the linen counter. She wears a ! 

plain white shirt-waist and black skirt, \ 

or a black dress with a white collar ' 

and cuffs, if preferred. Her hair is ! 

dressed in extreme fashion, her nose \ 

is powdered white, and she is very ' 

conscious of a diamond ring on the ; 

third finger of her left hand. She is ' 

chewing gum. i 



Sales and a Solitaire 



{She stands zvith her right hand on her hip and the 
other extended before her. She looks at her ring 
and speaks.) 

Hello, Mame ! Look ! Sure, I got it at last. Last 
night. Aw, wait until I tell you about it. {Chews 
gum, takes it out of mouth and puts it under counter.) 
You know I meet Jimmy every night after work, 
and last night he says, *' Babe, do you want to go 
to the movies? " And I says, " Sure." And he says, 
" Well, meet me on the corner of Sixth Avenue and 
Broadway at eight o'clock." And I says, " Not on 
your life ! I don't cool my heels on no corner for no 

man." And he seen I was gettin' kinda sore so 

{Turns to a customer who has come up.) Cluny 
lace? Third floor. So he come up to my boardin' 

house like a regular fella {To a customer.) 

Yes'm, these are the handkerchiefs as advertised. 
Here's the initial ones. {Indicating handkerchiefs on 
counter.) What initial? H? {Looks about on 
counter; picks up one.) Here's H. Twenty-five 
cents apiece. Oh, I know it, dearie, but linen has 
went up something fierce since the war. I don't know 
whether it's submarines or what but most of our linen 
used to come from Ireland, y'know. Pay the price 
and grin, that's what I say. {Pause.) Two? Yes. 
Mame, will you hand me my cash book down there 
by Jane— I'm not speaking to Jane— she's no lady. 
Why, you oughta heard what she said to me the other 
day— I wouldn't repeat it to my best friend. V\] tell 
you this noon. {Takes cash book, opens it and writes.) 
Thanks. Oh, see the baby. Isn't she sweet? {Leans 

5 



6 SALES AND A SOLITAIRE 

over counter.) Hello, dearie, is this your mama? 
{To customer.) Oh, you're so young to have such a 
big girl Here's your change. {Counts it out.) 
Fifty, seventy-five, one dollar. Thanks. Good-bye, 
dearie. {Waves her hand to the baby.) Mame, 
don't you just love kids? 

Well, where was I ? Oh, yes, so we went to the 
movies and we saw Theda Bara in one of them vam- 
pire pictures and it was swell. {Rolls her eyes.) 
Honest, Mame, that woman's got a pair of eyes on 
her that would shame a Jersey cow. Then we went 
and got some chop-suey afterwards, and do you know 
what, Mame? {Confidentially.) That's one reason 
I always liked Jimmy, he's no cheap sport if I do say 

so. Well, we was {To customer.) Yes'm, 

these are the handkerchiefs as advertised. Sweet, 
ain't they? {Pause.) Twenty-five cents a piece. 
{Pause.) Oh, I know, dearie, but linen has went up 
something fierce since the war, and you know most of 

our linen used to come from Ireland and now 

Well, I don't know whether it's submarines or what 
but we have to raise the price. {Pause.) Six? Yes, 
I'll put them in a box. Thanks. {Feels for gum 
under counter.) Well, what do you know about that? 
Gone again — that's the third piece of gum I've had 
stole on me this week ! Honest, it's gettin' so you 
can't trust a soul behind these counters any more. 
There's thieves around here, and I ain't mentioning 
names, but I'm thinking a whole lot. {Glares side- 
ways at her co-worker.) 

Now to continue. We was sitting there eating our 
suey when he looked up at me kinda sudden like and 
says, " Gert, you been kiddin' me along fer the last 
six months and I want to know right here and now 
where I stand." ** Why, Jimmy," I says, and got 
all hot and choked up. {Impatiently to customer.) 
Cut-glass? Second aisle to your left. " Why, Jimmy," 
I says, and got all hot and choked up, y'know. I says, 
" I didn't know you felt this way about me." And he 
says, " Why, you've had my goat since last June, and 
if you say the word I'll slip you your little old sparkler 



SALES AND A SOLITAIRE 7 

to-night." {Draws a deep breath.) Honest, Mame, 
you coulda blown me over with a breath, but (shyly) 
you know I been crazy about Jimmy ever since the 

time we all went to Coney, so (To customer.) 

Yes'm, these are the handkerchiefs, as advertised. 
Sweet, ain't they? (Pause.) Twenty-five cents a 
piece. Oh, I know, dearie, but linen has went up 
since the war, turrible. (Haughtily.) All right, suit 
yourself. (Behind her hand.) Mame, ain't she a 
fright? If I get to look like that in the next twenty- 
five years I give up here and now. 

Well, will you look who's here — how d'ye do, Davy, 
how're you? (Leans across counter and shakes 
hands.) That's good. How's Maisie? (Pause.) 
Ain't that fine now? Tell Maisie I'm coming up to 
see her soon. She's such a sweet girl. (To her co- 
worker.) Didn't I always say so, Mame? Sorry you 
have to hurry. (Calling after him.) Give my love 
to Maisie. G'bye. (To Mame.) Nice chap, that 
Dave. But I never could see what he seen in that 
Maisie. One of those empty-headed mechanical 
blondes if I do say so. 

Well, to continue. You know I been crazy about 
Jimmy all along, so I says, " Jimmy, I'm thru kiddin'. 
I'm yours fer life." And he like to done the Highland 
Mary right there in the Chinee joint. (To customer.) 
Rest'urant? Top floor. (Indignantly.) Believe me, 
Mame, this is no life fer a girl, standing on your feet 
all day and answering a million boob questions. Hon- 
est, I can't wait until Jimmy and I has our five rooms 
in the Bronx and are paying installments on green 
upholstered furniture and a phonograph. That's the 
only life, eh, Mame? I'll say so. 

(Exit) 



i 



Successful Plays for All Girls 

In Selecting Your Next Play Do Not Overlook This List 

YOUNG DOCTOR DEVINE. A Farce in Two Acts, 
by Mrs. E. J. H. Goodfellow. One of the most popular 
plays for girls. For nine female characters. Time in 
playing, thirty minutes. Scenery, ordinary interior. Mod- 
ern costumes. Girls in a boarding-school, learning that a 
young doctor is coming to vaccinate all the pupils, eagerly con- 
sult each other as to the manner of fascinating the physician. 
When the doctor appears upon the scene the pupils discover that 
the physician is a female practitioner. Price, 15 cents. 

SISTER MASONS. A Burlesque in One Act, by Fr.\nk 
DUMONT. For eleven females. Time, thirty minutes. Costumes, 
fantastic gowns, or dominoes. Scene, interior. A grand expose 
of Masonry. Some women profess to learn the secrets of a 
Masonic lodge by hearing their husbands talk in their sleep, 
and they institute a similar organization. Price, 15 cents. 

A COMMANDING POSITION. A Farcical Enter- 
tainment, by Amelia Sanfokd. For seven female char- 
acters and ten or more other ladies and children. Time, one 
hour. Costumes, modern. Scenes, easy interiors and one street 
scene. Marian Young gets tired living with her aunt,_ Miss 
Skinflint. She decides to "attain a commanding position." 
Marian tries hospital nursing, college settlement work and 
school teaching, but decides to go back to housework. Price, lo 
cents. 

HO"W A WOMAN KEEPS A SECRET. A Comedy 
in One Act, by Frank Dumont. For ten female characters. 
Time, half an hour. Scene, an easy interior. Costumes, }^]odern. 
Mabel Sweetly has just become engaged to Harold, but it's ' the 
deepest kind of a secret." Before announcing it they must win 
the approval of Harold's uncle, now in Europe, or lose a possible 
ten thousand a year. At a tea Mabel meets her dearest friend. 
Maude sees Mabel has a secret, she coaxes and Mabel tells her. 
But Maude lets out the secret in a few minutes to another 
friend and so the secret travels. Price, 15 cents. 

THE OXFORD AFFAIR. A Comedy in Three Acts, 
by Josephine H. Cobb and Jennie E. Paine. For eight female 
characters. Plays one hour and three-quarters. Scenes, inter- 
iors at a seaside hotel. Costumes, modern. The action ot the 
play is located at a summer resort. Alice Graham, m order to 
chaperon herself, poses as a widow, and Miss Oxford first claims 
her as a sister-in-law, then denounces her. The onerous duties 
of Miss Oxford, who attempts to serve as chaperon to Miss 
Howe and Miss Ashton in the face of many obstacles, furnish 
an evening of rare enjoyment. Price 15 cents. 

THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 

PHILADELPHIA 



LIBRPRY OF CONGRESS 



The Power of E 




III 

015 793 044 8 



Expression and efficiency go hand in \ 

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Xhe power of expression leads to: 

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Effective recitals 

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Social prominence 

Business success 

Efficiency in any undertaking 

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They are all successfully taught at The National School of 
Elocutiorj and Oratory, which during many years has de- 
veloped this power in hundreds of men and women. 

A catalogue giving full information as to how any of these 
accomplishments may be attained will be sent free on request. 

THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF 
ELOCUTION AND ORATORY 

1714 De Lancey Street Philadelpdia 



